Vacation is coming.
It doesn’t matter what house you belong to (or what your thoughts on the series finale are), visiting the Game of Thrones filming locations in Europe is an epic quest for fans and nonfans alike.
From centuries-old castles to majestic coastlines straight out of Westeros, check out these Game of Thrones locations on your next trip to Europe.
Image Credit: Getty Images, David Clapp. Image Location: Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
Game of Thrones Filming Locations FAQs
A fan needs answers like the train needs a track.
Where does Game of Thrones take place?
Game of Thrones takes place across the Seven Kingdoms of the continent Westeros (and neighboring Essos). Author George R.R. Martin based Westeros on medieval Britain, though enlarged its size to resemble something closer to South America.
Where did they film Game of Thrones?
To capture such a diverse landscape, Game of Thrones was filmed across multiple European locations including the United Kingdom, Iceland, Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Malta. The crew used tons of real-life locations and any scenes not filmed on-location were shot in a Belfast studio.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Andrea Pistolesi. Image Location: Northern Ireland
Where was Dragonstone filmed in Game of Thrones?
Dragonstone Castle, the ancestral seat of the House of Targaryen, is a CGI castle dropped on the Basque Coast of Spain. The interiors were filmed on a constructed set in Northern Ireland, but the exterior shots are all on Spain’s stunning seaside. Take the train to the Zumaia station to visit Itzurun Beach; catch a cab from Bilbao Airport to get to the other filming site, Muriola Beach. If you want to scale the stairs that (don’t really) lead to Dragonstone Castle, you’ll have to take a bus to Gaztelugatxe island near Bakio; the Bermeo station is the closest you can get by train.
Can I visit King’s Landing from Game of Thrones?
Yes, you can visit the site of King’s Landing, and it’s one of the most popular Game of Thrones filming locations to visit. King’s Landing was filmed in the Old Town of Dubrovnik, a coastal city near the southern tip of Croatia. Grab a cheap bus ticket from Trainline and get between Split and Dubrovnik in as quick as 4 hours—a perfect excuse to start reading A Song of Ice and Fire.
Which Game of Thrones castle can tourists visit?
Depending on the Game of Thrones castle you want to visit, you may need to use your imagination. Dragonstone isn’t real, but tourists can visit Game of Thrones castles like Castle Ward in Northern Ireland and Doune Castle in Scotland (both Winterfell), Old Town Dubrovnik in Croatia (King’s Landing), and Trujillo Castle in Spain (Casterly Rock).
Image Credit: Getty Images, theasis. Image Location: Doune Castle, Doune,
Game of Thrones filming locations in the UK
The good news is that you can fly into the UK and see so much of Westeros; the bad news is that the Seven Kingdoms don’t exactly have a rail network…
Scotland
Scotland’s Doune Castle has the honor of being the only Game of Thrones filming location in Great Britain. It is used as Winterfell’s courtyard and is located just outside of Stirling. Coming from London, take the train north to Edinburgh Waverley, and then with a one-hour train to Dunblane you’re nearly there.
Northern Ireland
The only country in the United Kingdom not on the isle of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is home to a majority of the Game of Thrones filming locations:
- Castle Black was filmed at Magheramorne Quarry.
- In Game of Thrones, the Dark Hedges acted as the King’s Road.
- Along with Spain’s northern coast, Downhill Strand on Northern Ireland’s coast was also used for Dragonstone Island.
- The dungeon in Shane’s Castle was used as a prison in King’s Landing.
- Ballintoy is one of the Game of Thrones locations set as the Iron Islands.
Image Credit: Getty Images, David Fernandez Cuevas. Image Location: Gardens of the Real Alcázar, Seville, Spain
Other Game of Thrones filming locations in Europe
You don’t need to wander alone like Jon Snow. Download the Trainline app and let Europe’s railways guide you to these other Game of Thrones filming locations in Greece and Spain.
Spain
Spain shows off its Game of Thrones filming locations throughout the year, as the Alcázar of Seville (Water Gardens of Dorne) is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. Trains from Madrid Atocha to Sevilla Santa Justa can take fewer than 3 hours.
The Castle of Zafra, the birthplace of Jon Snow found a few hours east of Madrid, is difficult to access via public transport, but you can hail a taxi after getting a bus to Tarancón. The home of the House of Lannister, Trujillo Castle, requires a time commitment involving a train from Madrid to Cáceres then a bus to Trujillo.
Croatia
Split is the perfect base for visiting Croatia’s Game of Thrones filming locations. In Split, Diocletian’s Palace was staged as the city of Meereen. When bussing it to King’s Landing from Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik, make sure you wander over to Lovrijenac Fortress where the Red Keep was shot and take the boat out to Lokrum island where Qarth was set. Šibenik, a mere 90-minute bus ride from Split, was the site of Braavos with its St. James Cathedral acting as the Iron Bank.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Flottmynd. Image Location: Eastern Iceland
Game of Thrones Filming Locations Off Mainland Europe
Malta
Yes, Game of Thrones King’s Landing is best known as Dubrovnik’s Old Town in Croatia, but Fort Manoel in Malta also gets the nod as part of King’s Landing. If you’re scratching your head at which scene that may be, pay attention to where Ned Stark lays his head in Season 1.
Iceland
In Game of Thrones, the North is filmed primarily in Iceland. Ygritte and John Snow get busy in the Grjótagjá Lava Cave (not a recommended tourist activity) and the Grjótagjá geothermal hot spring is also featured. Much of what is “north of the Wall” is filmed in Vatnajökull National Park.
Explore more than Seven Kingdoms by train
We may not have dragons, but Europe’s got castles galore. Purchase a Eurail pass and explore over 30 European countries, including Game of Thrones filming locations in Spain, Croatia, and Greece. You’ll also find live train times for trains across Europe with the Trainline app.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Samantha T. Photography. Image Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia